Locked Reality
by liveloverock-2010
Summary: Chapter FIVE complete. Now that Jules is gone, and Patch and Nora are together, everything should be normal, but a small overheard conversation with her mother changes not only her day, but her future.  Will be continued
1. Chapter 1

LOCKED REALITY

CHAPTER 1:

ENGAGED

If Nora knew now what she were soon to learn, she'd run. She'd hide. She'd lock her doors, thus locking out reality, but like most in her situation, Nora carried on her day as though nothing was different.

It was a Friday morning, with a cold, sharp wind blowing in through the window of her room which must have given way under the pressure of the storm last night.

Nora reluctantly got out of bed to shut the window, wiping the sleep out of her eyes as she went. She examined the window frame to check for any signs of damage but found none. Nora found this strange, though to Nora, this whole town was strange so why should her window be an exception?

Her alarm clock read at it was merely 6am, she had a good hour or so left before she had to get ready for school but she decided, _what's the point? I'll never get up twice._

Heading down the hall way, Nora could sense something was different. She looked down, and yes, the carpeting was as burgundy and horrible as ever. She looked to her sides, and sure enough, the walls were painted the same tinted magnolia she'd known all her life. The little table by the stairs was the same, with the same draw, slightly ajar because it was handmade, crafted from a smoky mahogany type wood. The same plain china dish a top for little things found here and there. The same lamp, tall and white besides the table ... that's it! The lights and lamps were on.

Come to think of it, there was hushed talking coming from the living room. Obviously someone didn't want her to hear whatever was going on.

An unmistakeable sense of déjà vu almost swept her of her feet as she tiptoed her way to the newly repaired staircase, as silently as humanly possible of course. Last time Nora had needed to spy on her own mother like this was when the police came about her dad. She could remember clearly the chocked whisper of a cry being suppressed by her mum as the police told her the news of that fateful night before. Nora herself, slammed straight into a brick wall of pure black denial. Soon that wall grew and encased Nora until the walls were so high and tight to her body, all she knew was blackening hatred, denial and coldness.

Even on this new path that Nora leads today, she often comes across a few of those black bricks lying on the side lines, never really gone for good. They would taunt the moments Nora would cherish; they would taint the colour of a perfect view. All though these bricks are not always there 24/7, they are never forgotten for good.

A tip Nora's father had told when she was twelve or so, was that when deprived of one sense, the others would heighten. He told her this because they were on a road trip, and all she would ask is, 'are we there yet?' The trick of this information was to stop her talking so she could pick up on things outside to tell where they were. It didn't work.

Nora put this into action, she shut her eyes, depriving her vision, she shut her mouth, depriving her of the taste of acrid stale air, and crossed her arms, depriving her of the ability to trace the wood and cause an extra distraction from her goal. Now, Nora focused all her extra senses on her hearing.

There was a fair distance between her and where her mother sat talking in the Living Room, and the kettle boiled from the fireplace right next to her mum, but Nora could make out bits of what was being said.

Nora was glad to hear it wasn't Detectives Basso and Holstijic, but felt unsettling torment as she could tell clearly from his voice that he was the local warden who used to give talks on drugs and things at school. Why was a warden in her house this early on a Friday morning?

"Blythe, we're going to have to tell her soon." The voice was male, husky with a sense of deep sympathy to it. "I'm going to have to tell my girls soon. Nora can have a couple of little sisters to spend time with, wouldn't she like that?" It wasn't so much of a question but a statement.

Nora most certainly would _NOT_ like a 'couple of little sisters', she thought briskly to herself. Nora had always liked being an only child, not because she got more attention, but because she liked order. She liked knowing where her things were, she liked people leaving her things be, and she liked not having a reputation to live up to in school and, well, basically a reputation in general.

Then the blow finally struck home to her._ Why on earth would I have little sisters and what the hell do they need to tell me! They certainly got to explain this!_

"I know, I know John, it's just I'm not sure how she will take the news, it hasn't even been two years since her dad, and she still cries."

Nora was beginning to get annoyed. _I do not cry ... often,_ She added to herself,_ and John? Why is my mum calling my warden by his first name?_

Nora's confidence shattered as she heard floorboards creek under sudden new weight._ John_ must be getting up, Nora thought to herself, with a force of spite and anger she wasn't used to. Except for the early days with Patch that was.

Nora's tension eased as she thought of Patch. From here she could see the Kitchen and flashbacks of that night with Patch in the kitchen came swimming back, along with the blood that now brightened her pale cheeks to a warm rosy glow. _That'd been a good night, _she thought to herself. _Had it really only been a few months ago, seems like an entirely different lifetime. _

She thought of the first day they'd been properly introduced, that evening down in Bo's arcade, where he'd said his biggest dream was to kiss me, well that dream has certainly come true. More than once.

Nora giggled at the memories; they filled her with a sense of belonging, a reason to be. A reason to stay, not only here, but alive. Nora had sworn to herself, the morning after Jules had died, that she would fight with every inch she had in her to spend every millisecond longer she could spend with Patch.

"Oh, goodness, Nora ... Honey, what are you ... uh doing up this early?" Her mum's voice had chased off what she was thinking and now Nora herself was searching for the answer, completely forgetting everything that she'd just heard for a few seconds, finding the answer that was burning in her throat moments earlier just a few moments too late.

"Huh? What?" Nora asked disoriented "Oh, right, yeah. So what is it that you've got to tell me?" she asked, putting on the bravest face possible and bracing herself for the absolute worst answer ... but she didn't know what that answer was.

Her mum turned to John and quickly ushered him out the front door, apparently it was his turn to be in the dark, Nora thought sourly.

"Honey, how much did you hear?" Her mum was obviously very nervous and began picking at her nails, nervous habit.

"Enough." Nora replied bravely. This always seemed to get people spilling their guts, more than what they heard, in the movies. Nora hoped it worked that way in real.

"Oh honey, I been meaning to tell you for a few days now, but things just kept coming up. I wanted it to be the right moment, but I guess ..." her mum's voice trailed off inaudibly and Nora still didn't have her answers. She'd have to try another way.

"Explain!" Nora demanded, probably with a little too much force, but she wasn't in the mood for caring. "From the beginning."

"Well," her mum began nervously, "it all began about three months ago, you remember, when we had the house fire?" More like when Dabria set the house on fire. Her mum seemed to be waiting for a response, so Nora simply nodded from where she was perched at the top of the stairs. "Ok, well, Joh ... Officer Taylor was one of the detectives that came about it, and he was being so sweet. Then one thing lead to another, and," her mum was beginning to rush, obviously something big was coming up and she just wanted to get it over with, "and well first it was just dating ... but then, remember last week when I went to yoga?"

Her mum was waiting again so she nodded very slightly, "Well, it wasn't yoga, I went out to dinner with John, and he, and now honey, if you have a problem with this, just say. He, well, proposed."

Nora chocked on the breathe she'd been holding and began spluttering. She gripped the banister for support and her mother began racing to her aid.

As her mother drew closer Nora pulled back, she kicked her way back until all that was left behind her was wall, all the while, she clutched one hand to her throat whilst franticly waving one between her and her mother, a warning to keep her distance. Nora was in shock at the moment, she had no idea what she was capable of, and deep down in her subconscious, she screamed that she didn't want to find that out. At least not with her own _mother._

_"Nora!_ Baby, are you ok? Let me help. Calm down." All this was just a ringing in Nora's ears, an incoherent babble. "Nora, listen."

Nora really didn't want to listen. She started to kick to prevent her mother advancing on her and scrambled carelessly across the carpet till she found the cold, relieving wooden planks of her bedroom floor. She quickly scrabbled to slam the door behind her.

_Engaged. How could she! Selfish! _

Nora slumped to the door and slowly slid down until she was sitting, her forehead resting pleadingly on her knees, and her back securely to the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Locked Reality

Chapter 2:

Escape

"Ouch" Nora cursed as she scraped her palm on one of the many branch stumps of the tree outside her window. She couldn't face her mother after that news. The thought of her mum with anyone besides her dad just seemed wrong. So, to avoid talking to her mother, Nora slipped out of her window heading to school, fully aware that her mother was screeching like a ban chi outside her bedroom door, begging her to 'come out and talk about it.'

When she reached the bottom of the 30 foot tree, Nora bolted it to the shed where her car was kept. Normally she would find a rickety old car to match the rusting steel sheet barn, with slowly rotting suspending beams. She wouldn't mind if it blew down and murderer her car, perhaps then she'd get a new one, but last week, Patch had mysteriously found himself in possession of a brand new black Prius, which with his jeep, he didn't need. I knew full well where this car had appeared from, and I wasn't too happy to accept it, but he wouldn't tell me whose it was, and that if I didn't take it, it was going to the scrap yard.

Nora slid in through the driver side door and with all gentleness, eased the door quietly shut. Despite this car being as good as stolen, Nora felt so much gratitude at this particular moment, hybrid cars were silent, Nora could slip off to school and her mum would be none the wiser.

_Gosh, wait till I tell Vee_, she thought,_ perhaps she'll know what to say, she usually does._

Looking in the rear view mirror, she backed out of the shed and headed down the drive towards the main road. _Finally, on the straight and clear_ she breathed to herself.

A smile infected her face as she drove past familiar places, the coffee shop where she first met Elliot and Jules. Even though that resulted disastrously, the smile stayed because it was familiar, no changes, and since she wasn't headed there now, for today, no surprises.

Her gaze drifted off to her right where she saw the Borderline with its empty lot. It was shut Friday mornings to prepare for the school kids at night. She was glad Patch didn't work Fridays, she needed him tonight. It was strange that even though he had a new job as my guardian, he kept his place at the Borderline.

"I guess he plans to stay a while," Nora said out loud, totally unaware she had, just lost in her moment of serenity.

Fast approaching was the turning to the road to lead to the school and she practically melted to her seat at the thought that soon she'd be in Patch's warm arms with Vee raging on about trivial things. That's exactly what Nora needed right now, comfort, normality and the only two people who truly understood her.

She took a smooth turn to her right and started down Coldwater Lane. She could see a few cars in the lot next to the school but it was still early and many were to come.

When it came time to turn into the lot, Nora found herself unable to turn, she found herself following Coldwater Lane right to the end, then turning right, heading out of town completely.

_God what am I doing? Turn back, turn back ... no don't ... keep going, its one day, I think I deserve one day. _Nora was debating inside her head, rationality against feelings. Rationality told her she was over reacting, go back to school and let this play out, but her feelings were telling her to go, let her mother worry, let her pay for the emotions she's conflicted upon her, and for now, feelings were winning over.

She looked over at the clock on the dash board and it read that school started in nine minutes, there was no chance of turning back now and making it to first period on time, might as well keep on going.

Nora began to reach the parts of town she wasn't sure on, she'd only ever passed through these places when her father was driving, he said it was far from safe, but she could see the grassy forest ahead that lead to a whole new place, a whole new adventure.

Something in her pocket began vibrating and she began fishing for her phone, slowing the car in the process for safety. Nora had half expected to see her mother's name flashing on the screen, but instead, it flashed Patch's. They meet every morning by her locker, he must be wondering where she was, there was only three minutes till school started and obviously, she wasn't there.

Nora decided to let the phone go to answer phone, this'd be her day, and if she told Patch even the slightest hint of where she was going, he'd be there before she was. Of course she loves Patch, but now she decided what she needed was air and thinking time.

Her phone began to ring for the second time, again Patch, but now she decided to reject the call and turn her phone off, she shoved it back in her pocket because she was undoubtedly going to need it later.

As the forest stretched on, the once ominous scene became beautiful in the rays of the sun, and oozing with animal and plant life everywhere you looked. The kind of scene you could only imagine, or read about in a child's fairytale.

There were tall conifer trees shading the newly growing from the harsher rays, a few movements within the bushes comforted by a little flash of a rabbits tail, then to complete the scene, a couple of small robins balanced half way up the tree, it's red breast contrasting from the green of the tree.

News signs of life close by became apparent. Nora could see litter on the side of the road, a couple of sheds here and there, and the forest began thinning.

Materializing over the horizon, Nora could make out the silhouette of what seemed to be a diner. It was a quaint place but a binding grey storm seemed to hang over this town, ready to pour at any moment so she decided it would be a good idea to pull over for a bit, maybe grab something to eat and just wait for the storm to roll over.

Nora turned into the lot which seemed almost like a ghost town, there was a good-as-broken old Volkswagen towards the back of the lot, probably the chefs since it was by the back door, a small red corsa, which still had some, but not all, of its shine, then one or two randomly parked cars here and there, all of which was accompanied by what Nora could only describe as the smell of the decomposition of a some of the native forest wild life.

As she emerged from her car, a steady, sharp, northerly wind clipped her from behind and Nora had to catch the car door before she landed on the pebble-dashed lot, in what where one of her favourite pairs of jeans.

Nora pressed the lock button on the cars fob numerous times, double and triple checking it was locked, before hurrying her way to the entrance a few yards away.

She push open a heavy wooden door, painted green, and chipped on a large scale. Inside it looked like a classic diner from the movies. A rectangle shaped room, the bar taking up most of the wall opposite the door. Behind the bar is a counter, on the other side the kitchen. All down the wall with the door were windows and stalls. Square wooden tables, with red leather upholstered benches either side that seated a maximum of three. The furthest wall from where she stood in the door way was the doors leading to the toilets, of which Nora expressed no want to see the inside, and the wall closest to her offered three old fashion pay phones, two of which held 'out of use' signs.

Nora chose a stall about half way down the aisle, far enough away that she couldn't smell the odorous toilets, but away from the draught of the door, then began to survey the people surrounding her.

There was a haggard middle-aged woman behind the bar, with pinned up greying hair, bright red lipstick representing the only makeup worn, and a look of displeasure painted clearly across her face. The guy in the kitchen was the stereotypical slightly overweight, sweaty balding man with grease all over his apron, jogging around to whatever was playing on the radio at the time, pointlessly hitting it every few moments when it lost some signal and became static.

Then to complete the roll call, sitting at the bar was an elderly woman, who I'm many ways of mannerisms, reminded her closely of Vee. The way she shifted her weighted, and then crossed her legs. The way she would, absent minded, sip her coffee, then slightly jolt realising it was too hot. The way she would just randomly shuffle her papers till she caught eye of what she was searching for instead of actually checking the headings.

Nora guessed these were all pretty common traits, perhaps she was already kind of home sick, projecting what she knew to what she didn't in a desperate hope to find a feeble thread of the string which tied her to home.

Nora let out a sigh and looked out of the window. It was condensed top to bottom so Nora pulled her sleeve over her hand and cleaned a small peep hole of clear glass at eye level. Looking out she realised she what right earlier when she'd predicted a storm, grey and black clouds covered the sky as far as the eye could see, from which small daggers of rain was propelled at top speed, then bounced with force from the ground, back towards the sky. There were already puddles forming everywhere and Nora just prayed that she hadn't parked her car by one, or when she wanted to get back in, she would be soaked.


	3. Chapter 3

**Locked Reality**

**Chapter Three**

**Where Now ?**

"What're you 'aving love?" Nora was vaguely aware of the voice chiming in the background. "Love?"

Nora blinked twice, bringing herself out of her distraction to realise that the chiming voice was addressing her.

"Hmm, sorry, what'd you say?" Nora replied sheepishly.

"What'll you be 'aving?" It was the woman behind the counter calling her, and her voice was full of belligerent desperation, the kind associated with the awareness of a dead end job and absolutely no chance of salvation. Nora pitied this woman; she hated the idea of one choice only. Upon consideration she felt a quiet suggestion that by leaving this morning, she liberated herself from that and for the first time since she got in her car on a morning like any other, Nora felt enthused at her choice.

"Steamed milk please." Despite new confidence in her enthusiasm, Nora still felt to awkward to meet with this woman's eyes so she kept her gaze no further than the end of her table.

Nora could hear the woman mutter something under her breath. It was surprising that she would show no effort in looks or put a hint of tone to her voice, but what Nora could only presume was anger, cynicism or enraged jealousy was malignant in her being. It was easy for her, almost as though it took over her as whole. It's a depressing idea. Normally if someone were to mutter about Nora she would be offended and she'd be hard pressed to not let her hurt show, but seeing how her living made her, a harder living than Nora and her mum, gave Nora a sense that this was a whole new world than the two she'd become accustomed to and it felt almost awe worthy to her.

Nora's two worlds consisted of the real world we live, having a best friend, living off what your parents provided, knowing that the world had flaws such as extreme poverty and the disregard and narcissistic attitudes of those in extreme wealth. Then she had her world with Patch; a world full of mystery, lies, love and strange people. If she was honest, Nora loved both of her worlds, and everyone in it, besides Marcie Millar of course.

Her worlds provided a contrast of that nothing else could. She could become trapped in a bad situation in one world then go visit someone from her other world and be free of all cares. She had a choice of two lives she could live, when everyone else had one.

"Here." Accompanied by splashing, her milk crashed to the table, the china shuddering on the tray threatening to break under the mistreatment.

"Thanks." Nora nodded politely and kept her eyes away from the miniscule chance of catching eyes with her.

She believed she heard another disgruntled snort from the woman and again decided to ignore it. She carefully picked up the cup from where it was now so messily propped on the table, inspecting the rim carefully for dirt or lipstick stains which were ever so likely in a place like this, before slowly blowing on it and taking a sip. If she was honest, this milk tasted more like watered down milk to the point where only colour remained, but none the less, Nora felt nothing like picking a fight with this woman because she would more than likely kill Nora in two seconds and not care in the slightest of consequences.

Nora sat there for a long while, her cup held steadily to her lips, thinking of where she would go next. The temptation to drive back to town was crushable, but she had no idea where the forks in the road lead off to, if she were ever able to find her way back, what she'd find at the end of the roads. She wanted to see Patch again, to feel his arms tighten around her and make the world seem bearable again, but she also wanted to let him know that she could survive in this world without his help or guidance. To come back and show him she could solve her own problems.

It come often that one world could risk another or simply cause conflict to it, but she could always find a balance, but this situation was too much for her to make sense of.

Perhaps if she called him. One call to calm his nerves and hers. She wouldn't let him know where she was, partly because Nora herself wasn't too sure, but because as she said earlier, Patch would find her which isn't what she really wanted. Part of her was hoping he'd come, be her knight in shining armour, but it was buried so deep down it wasn't worth admitting.

Slowly and rather reluctantly, Nora plucked her phone from her bag and her thumb hovered cautiously over the power button before turning it on. Once her phone came to power, Nora had eight missed calls and three texts. She opened her first text, it simply read "Nora ring me back now!"

Something about the text seemed pretty impolite and it scratched at her temper slowly. The second read "Nora I'm not messing about". It sounded like he was making it about him; Nora wasn't really missing this Patch. Just to kill the curiosity she opened the last to find the same Patch that she knew, "I'm on my way, I'll find you and you can count on that!"

Nora was no longer tempted to call him, she'd let him find her, he swore he would.

_Better get moving._ Nora thought sourly._ Don't want to make his job any easier._

This wasn't entirely true. Nora just felt cold eyes on her, probably from the woman behind the counter, and wanted to be free of them.

Slowly she rose to her feet, clutching her bag to her side and money in hand. She walked to the counter, not bothering to ask the price, placed five dollars on the counter and walked out before receiving any snide comments.

She stood outside the cafe, perched carefully below the overhang of the roof keeping her sheltered from the remains of what was a flood worthy rain storm. She was just turning her phone off and squeezing it into her jeans pocket when she noticed a dark figure almost invisible on the fringes of the forest at the back of the parking lot. She couldn't tell whether they were facing towards or away from her, whether it was a boy or girl, all she could tell was that they were average height and rather creepy.

Nora hated the fact that to get to her car she had to walk straight towards this person, but nevertheless she had to get to the car so she broadened her shoulders, pushed the strap of her bag up her arm and held the strap tightly before starting a steady walk to her car.

Nora was curious about this person who would hang in the middle of nowhere during a rain storm. She knew couldn't be obvious about watching them so she kept her head down and eyes up. Even with Nora approaching, this person barely moved an inch but by the time she'd reached her keys from her bag and unlocked the car door they'd disappeared.

Seeing someone strange was normal for Nora but when they disappeared she knew from experience it wasn't a good thing. Nora knew she had to be out of there soon.

Trying to pull out, the car wouldn't move far. There was more than enough gas to get her at least ten miles away from this place. She turned the ignition off and climbed out of the car keeping tight to it to find that her back wheel was flat. It hadn't been slashed but it seemed she'd run over a large shard of glass.

"Typical." Nora cursed throwing her arms to her sides and huffing a sigh. This was just what she needed. Nora was slowly reaching desperate, she felt as though nothing was going her way today, it was bad news after bad news and she had a right mind that she couldn't take much more of it.

Realising that if she wanted to get out of her any time soon she'd need help, Nora headed back into the cafe hoping maybe someone would know what to do.

Approaching the woman behind the counter Nora swallowed hard, trying to keep her nerves settled but falling short.

"Excuse me?" Nora croaked "I have a flat tyre, I was wondering if someone here could help?"

It took a lot out of her pride to ask her for this but it had to be done.

The woman turned to the guy in the kitchen and sharply nodded her head in the direction of the lot. With a look that could only be described as distaste, the guy ripped off the grease ridden apron and threw it on the counter and pushed out of the kitchen door shoulder first. It seemed like a stereotypical movie playing out in front of her eyes but if he could help at all then it didn't matter.

"Let's go take a look at your tyre then love." When he spoke it seemed out of place. His voice was the opposite of the waitresses, his sounded full of care and gentle at the same time. He seemed almost eager to help her; it was a wonder how he could work in the same place as the woman who had no hopes or dreams. He obviously hadn't let her break his spirits.

Nora waved a hand in the direction of the lot and smiled sheepishly as she began to lead him out of the place and towards her car.

He didn't seem the slightest bit shy to follow a complete stranger out in the middle of nowhere. There was something off about this guy; his actions conflicted his looks.

As they approached her car she could no longer see any glass in her tyre. She began to inspect the tyre more closely; almost desperate to find something to make the time she kept him for not worthless but there was nothing there.


	4. Chapter 4

**Locked Reality**

**Chapter 4**

**Which one?**

Nora didn't know what to do. She was hoping that any second she would hear the chime of her alarm ringing next to her head bringing her out of this surreal mess.

At her side, Nora's fist clenched as tight as humanly possible ad closed her eyes tightly. After what must have been the longest count to ten in the known universe, Nora slowly opened her eyes in desperate hope of finding the faded white of her bedroom ceiling but was disheartened by what she found. Opening her eyes, her car was still there. The cold was still there and the stiff presence of an unknown presence hung tight to her body, encasing her whole being and filling her lungs to the point of almost suffocation.

Just at that moment Nora saw movement in the reflection of her car window. She didn't manage to see much but from what she did manage to see she knew without a doubt in her mind that the man –and it was a man- was too tall, lean and clean cut to be the chef.

In a choke of fear, Nora's body became almost paralysed to find that mere seconds' later strong arms reached around her. One pressed a folded damp cloth to her face, covering every inch of her lips and most of her nose leaving her with nothing but a foul smell of medicine and mildew. The other arm reached around her waist. It wasn't a friendly embrace, nor was it a romantic one. It gripped her waist lifting her roughly from the ground allowing her no escape to this stranger who she feared with her whole being.

The struggle for breathe only meant she was inhaling more of this foul stench and the more she did, the more tiredness would engulf her. Her lids drooped as they would before a deep sleep and slowly the smell became less and less strong in synch with her limbs growing weaker and weaker until she could no longer put up any resistance and her body grew involuntarily relaxed in this strangers arms.

It was the aching coming from her whole body that brought Nora back to consciousness. Every inch of her body from her neck to her ankles ached, most of her joints had seized. Nora could feel something of the texture of a carpeted floor pressed to her knees, bending her legs behind her body, and the same floor pressed her neck at an impossible angle. To complete the scene, Nora could feel a cold smooth surface send chills up her back where it touched her skin where her top had rode up.

Everything around her was dark but after a few pain filled moments her eyes adjusted to her surroundings. Looking down she could see her wrists were bound with a thick rope. It was wound repeatedly around both her wrists and reaching up her lower arms, topped with a thick bun where it was tied securely. She couldn't see from this angle but Nora knew that her legs were bound all the same.

It took only moments for the pain to become unbearable and Nora writhed, trying desperately to free herself from the pain. She thrashed against the walls surrounding her closely, banging and gasping in pain. It seemed an impossible struggle, moving caused her more pain and trying to pull free of the ropes simply grazed her arms and wrists till she could feel a trickle, of what she could only assume was blood, seep down over her clenched fists.

"Stop it!" a voice boomed from somewhere close by, causing the floor beneath her to vibrate even after the voice stopped. The voice was deep and full of authority and one Nora vaguely recognised but not well enough to place.

It sent a chill down her spine and her blood run cold. Though she knew she couldn't bear this pain much longer.

"Please," Nora called desperately "I'm begging, take these ropes off." Hearing her own voice, Nora could hear the fear in it and how close she was to breaking down in a hysterical sob. It worried her, the last thing she wanted to do was to show fear to this monster holding her hostage. She needed to show her strength if she were to get free.

She could feel a puncture ripping inside her, wanting to swallow up her whole being, to unleash a flood of tears that she could drown in, but one thing brought out the pride and strength in her. Patch.

Right now in his absence and the company of someone who wanted who knows with her, she longed for him. Longed to feel his muscle clad arms wrap around her waist, to hold her body tight to his chest being able to feel every breathe he took, to feel the warmth flow from every inch of him into her heart and to just be lost in the paradise of his being.

She wondered where Patch was right now. Whether he meant it when he said he'd find her. Of course he did, but where'd he start. If she didn't know where she was, what hope did he have of finding her. It was now that Nora realised that she didn't care if he got angry with her for not replying, it took her to being kidnapped in a strange town by someone she possibly knew for it strike home that he was worried. That he cared for her, and no matter what happened. She cared for him to. Loved him even.

Her eyes began to sting which was closely followed by an uneven stream of tears rolling down her cheek, along her jaw before collecting in the hollow of her breast bone. With her arms tied she couldn't wipe the tears away.

Nora's neck was jarred roughly into the wall behind her as another part of her tomb was slammed and it was then she realised she was in the trunk of a car. For a second this amused Nora, it seemed so stereotypically horror movie. It amused her that every detail in her day was stereotypical but the actual happens were nothing stereotypical of her life.

Next thing she heard a click millimetres away from her head and slowly a stream of orange and red rays seeped through the gap and the trunks lid slowly lifted. Straining her eyes Nora tried desperately to see this man who had taken her but the sun blinded her view.

For the second time today his steady arms reached down to her face but this time, the cloth was tied around her eyes. He was blindfolding her. The cloth around her eyes was burning red from the sunset through the white cloth but it didn't hurt her eyes.

After her eyes were covered the man moved to unbind her wrists and ankles. Immediately out of instinct, she rubbed at her wrists, almost as if to comfort them but then she was being lifted. Her legs hung limps and pained over his arms and her head lolled against his arm, her neck in even more excruciating pain than anything else in her body.

Without a split second of though, Nora pushed herself up and she stumbled carelessly over his arms and to the floor, rolling slightly. Despite the pain, she rolled onto her knees, scraping them on gravel, and started scrambling blindly in any direction. She wasn't getting far, but she was getting somewhere.

Slowly the red glow of her blindfold dimmed to a dull grey and the setting sun of her warm back was covered. Of course he'd catch her. He was faster, stronger and he could actually see, but Nora was to desperate to give in now. She was given an inch and she took a mile.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

No return

Nora's mind was racing, thought after thought attacking her mind, blending into another until not one made sense or could be deciphered as useful.

Escape. That word was prominent in every thought though, everything revolved around escaping. The need to get out alive that wasn't from any part of Nora's extensive knowledge but more so her survival instinct.

In hindsight Nora would be aware it was a fight long called, but to her it'd be a fight worth all the risks.

As something hit the ground beside her, a cloud of dirt caught the wind, picking up and dancing viciously. With each desperate breath Nora inhaled more and more dirt, choking slowly, coughing and spluttering for her life. If she hadn't known better Nora would've sworn he was strangling her, slowly crushing her windpipe with his bare hands and trapping the oxygen just out of her reach. Nora did know better though.

After a long moment her environment settled around her, the only movement provided by her convulsions caused by her body's need for clean air.

When her breathing settled again the oxygen aloud her thoughts to become less erratic. It was then she realised there was no longer a shadow cast upon her. Nora also remembered that something had been dropped by her.

Pretty sure that she was now alone, although confused as to why, Nora pulled at the blindfold veiling her eyes.

Lying in front of her was a mass of fabric. It was a deep shade of grey with mass patches of golden brown where dirt clung to it, had settled in the creases. Unsure exactly what the fabric was Nora hesitantly reached for it, running the harsh textures between her thumb and index finger and patting off as much dirt as possible.

The mass of fabric revealed itself to be a jacket. A male's jacket and one she didn't recognise.

Something was off, it just didn't fit. This brute of a stranger put effort into knocking her out and stowing her away in his trunk just to let her free first time she ran. Not only that but he supplied her with clothing. But why? Why did he try to take her in the first place if he wasn't that bothered if he had her or not?

If he were merely the delivery service for someone else, wouldn't he be punished for not delivering her? Depending on what he was, he could even lose his life. No one would risk that; even if they had little value for their life they wouldn't bother taking an order in the first place.

It seemed unlikely he'd want her for his own reasons as well. He'd let her go so easily, in a way he put up no fight for her. Surely he'd have better things to do with his time than kidnap girls on whim he wasn't certain on.

Looking back down at the jacket in disbelief of its existence, Nora noticed for the first time that her wrists were bleeding and bruised. When she'd resisted against the rope restricting her, the friction had shredded away at the top few layers of skin leaving her wrists, and her ankles for that matter, raw and painful. The skin around the wound was red and swollen where the blood was rushing and the wound itself was shiny, the sun reflecting off the blood staining her bear arms.

Wiping at the blood out of instinct, Nora was soon to find that it was sensitive as well as painful. Even the mid afternoon breeze stung.

Open to the elements of our surrounding world it was occurring to her that these wounds could become infected. For her ankles it was already too late to prevent the possibility, gravel, dirt, germs, they were all clinging to her blood and raw skin.

Nora sighed audibly out of frustration and helplessness. She was feeling a dictionary of emotions: Anger, confusion, longing, desperation and hidden amongst it there was a touch of humour. A small part of her was laughing at how her day had turned. For any other girl this day would seem unimaginable, impossible even, but for Nora it was another taste of how things as trivial as whose blood runs in your veins can make a Stephen King horror of your life.

Nora sat in that very spot she'd landed for a long time, noting her surroundings, or lack of surroundings. As far as the eye could see there was dry cracked earth, a few odd sized and shaped rocks and a small rocky path that seem to supply as a road.

There was no master plan to escape. She had no miraculous trick up her sleeve, no crazy idea and as it tore at her heart she had to admit to herself that she had no Patch to rescue her. So it was time to make do, she'd follow the 'road' to wherever it lead her.

Roughly, Nora snatched up the jacket, holding it by the collar in one hand. It seemed she was given it for some reason; she may as well keep it long enough to find out that very reason.

Using her arms to stabilise herself, Nora tried to push herself unto her feet. It took several tries, her legs were weak where the blood was rushing to areas previously cut off, and her ankles hurt from the weight of her body, the wind whipping where the slightest bit of flesh was unshielded and they hurt from the contorted passion she performed to fit in the trunk of car.

The road was close by, metres away. She really hadn't escaped far. Making her way along the rocky stretch of road, her knees buckled slightly under her, pain shooting down each leg with each step. The only thing that kept her putting one foot in front of the other was the memory that she'd been through worse, been through far worse in her time and that included recovering from a suicide ... or suicide attempt. To this day Nora was unsure exactly what to class it as, she had died but she didn't stay dead.

...

Vaguely Nora wondered where she was headed, she was also pretty curious as to whether she was following the tyre tracks left by her assailant or as to whether she was following them back to the car park where her car lay cold.

What she wouldn't give for her car right now, no matter by what means it was acquired. It was beginning to fall night overhead and even though she'd been trekking a while, it seemed she was making no dent in the never ending path.

The moon began to substitute the sun and the warmth of the rays was unappreciatively substituted by cold biting winds. Nora pulled the jacket over her shoulders and slid her arms carefully down the sleeves, thankful they were too long for her small frame because it meant her hands wouldn't have to face the winds either.

Crossing her arms almost protectively over her chest, her hands gripping at the insides of the sleeves, Nora hunched her head down, covering her neck as her teeth chattered involuntarily together, small shivers captivating her pain ridden limbs.

Coldness had almost paralysed her lids shut when her eyes wondered upon what seemed to be a street light. Her pace quickened to a small jog to anyone watching but was as close to a run as Nora was able to achieve.

One after another street lights came into view. Tall and black in body, made of heavy metal and intricate design work imprinted into each, all the same as the last. The pole was mounted by a single bulb outstretched into the road ahead. By all means these were very old fashioned. Something from a picture book of a stereotyped London terrace.

The ground beneath her was changing. It was no longer a gravel path but more so cobbled road, big even sized rocks forming a flat surface. The stones where weathered and chipped which backed the idea that she was approaching an old town.

It wasn't long before buildings were either side of her. Town houses. They were beautiful. Tall and magnificent, the brick work of each individualising from the ones both side, and original wooden doors twice as thick as any these days.

Most houses were blacked out but one or two had a flickering candle in an upstairs window.

About a hundred yards down the road was a lone man. He was stood in the middle of the road dead still, the street lamps either side of him burnt out. The mad was a shadow upon him.

Flashes of the woman shot mistaken as her flooded Nora's mind. From sheer size, both height and muscles from what she could tell, this man seemed capable of the same.

He had an aura about him and it sent chills down her spine. He was stood dead still, arms at his side and his back straight. Nora could almost feel his eyes burning into her whole being. She was sure he was staring at her just as sure as she was sure he was dangerous.

Slowly Nora lifted a foot to take a step back, carefully placing on foot before lifting the other and never once taking her eyes of the being in the street. Though as she retreated, he took equal steps towards her. He was mimicking her actions.

Her heart was like an Olympic sprinter I her chest, it beat at a thousand beats per second and her blood pulsed through her body as though it were the last pump it would take, ringing loudly in her ears.

The speed of her steps increased ever so slightly, until the figure had moved right below the street lamp. His head was covered by a hat which shadowed a lot of her face but she could see a cold, malicious grin stain his face. At his side each fists curled into a fight fist one after the other. It wasn't possible he was looking anywhere else. Nora was his target and she had nowhere to hide. She felt all hope slip away.


End file.
